KOSPI closes 5.5 percent lower as Samsung slides
Published on 10/13/2026 at 22:54 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSForeign selling and chip risk
- KOSPI ended October 13 at 6,035 points, down 349 points or 5.5 percent.
- Foreign investors sold KRW 4.51 trillion as semiconductor concerns intensified.
- SK Hynix was the biggest major decliner, falling 10.1 percent.
- U.S. CPI is due October 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET, or 9:30 p.m. KST.
KOSPI closed at 6,035 points on October 13, losing 349 points or 5.5 percent. The index briefly fell below 6,000 as semiconductor stocks sank on renewed doubts about the artificial-intelligence investment boom, Yonhap reported.
SK Hynix was the main heavyweight drag, falling 10.1 percent to KRW 1.443 million. A late analysis published at 9:41 p.m. KST said foreign selling had focused on Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, whose buybacks are nearing completion, SBS reported.
Why is KOSPI down today?
The index opened 3.1 percent lower at 6,186 points and reached an intraday low of 5,911 points. Foreign investors sold KRW 4.51 trillion of shares, while institutions bought KRW 1.69 trillion and individuals bought KRW 2.23 trillion, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.
Reports that Chinese memory producer ChangXin Memory Technologies is advancing next-generation DRAM technology added pressure to chip shares. The Korea Exchange also activated a sell-side sidecar at 9:47 a.m. KST, Chosun reported.
Winners and losers in the KOSPI
Winners and losers at the October 13 close, based on Yonhap:
- Korea Electric Power up 2.1 percent
- HMM up 1.2 percent
- Samsung Electronics down 7.4 percent: semiconductor selling
- SK Hynix down 10.1 percent: semiconductor selling
Decliners outnumbered advancers 628 to 246. The electricity and electronics sector fell 7.6 percent, while manufacturing dropped 6.3 percent, The Asia Business Daily reported.
KOSPI faces inflation and chip tests
The next major external test is U.S. September consumer-price data on October 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET, or 9:30 p.m. KST. Consensus calls for a 0.6 percent monthly headline increase and a 0.2 percent monthly core increase, StockHub reported.
What comes next for KOSPI
- October 14, 9:30 p.m. KST: U.S. September CPI, with consensus at 0.6 percent monthly headline growth and 0.2 percent core growth, StockHub reported.
- October 14, 2:00 p.m. KST: ASML third-quarter earnings, with semiconductor equipment demand in focus, Naver Premium Content reported.
